Sheffield festival aims for sell-out shows

ORGANISERS of a popular Sheffield festival are pulling out all the stops in the hope of a clean sweep of sell-out shows for the four-day extravaganza.

Rotary clubs behind popular Music in the Gardens say a fireworks spectacular and an aircraft fly-past will give this year’s event the added wow factor.

The annual festival, which takes place in Sheffield Botanical Gardens from July 4 to 7, is aiming for maximum crowd numbers for its series of picnic concerts.

This year, pop veterans 10cc are headlining on Friday night, with support from Sheffield favourites The Bootleggers.

The World War Two Spitfire is making a comeback for Wednesday’s Big Band opener after dazzling audiences last year.

The classical concert which will close the event will give the city its own version of the Last Night of the Proms, with flag-waving and a musical fireworks finale.

Tickets for some performances - particularly for 10cc - are expected to go fast, and people are urged to snap them up and help raise cash for charities.

Carly Whitfield, a founding member of Sheffield Rotaract group and part of the Music in the Gardens organising committee, said: “It looks as though 10cc is going to be a sell-out. That was a real coup for us but what we’d really love is to have every show sell out and open concerts up to new audiences.

“The classical concert is not selling as fast as others, perhaps people don’t feel it’s for them. I think there can be a stigma attached to classical music, but all of the music played on the night is populist. We’re giving Sheffield something like the Proms. It fits in perfectly with the national pride theme of the Olympics and Diamond Jubilee.

“It’s the perfect opportunity for people to come along and try something new.”

The seventh annual Music in the Gardens has been organised by rotary clubs of Sheffield, Sheffield Vulcan, Abbeydale, Eckington, Dronfield, Wortley and Rotherham Sitwell.

n For a full line-up and ticket details, visit www.musicinthegardens.co.uk